Hurricane Idalia's record storm surge left trail of damage, rotten smell in Keaton Beach after landfall
Water gauges just south of where Idalia made landfall in Florida's Big Bend reported a record nearly 7-foot storm surge that left behind a trail of damage and stinky debris that "smells like rotten vegetation (and) gross seaweed."
A tree uprooted by Hurricane Idalia storm surge in Keaton Beach, Florida.
(FOX Weather)
"We're talking about a Category 3 hurricane that rolled through," Merwin said. "These homes were impacted by 7-foot storm surge and 83-mile-per-hour winds."
flooding also left the stink of anything dragged in from the Gulf of Mexico.
"It smells like rotten vegetation, gross seaweed," Merwin said. "It really does kind of make you a little sick to your stomach because we've had so much stuff pushed in with the storm surge."
![PERRY, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: A storm-damaged gas station is reflected in a puddle after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 in Perry, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as a category 3 hurricane.]()
Image 1 of 8PERRY, FLORIDA - AUGUST 30: A storm-damaged gas station is reflected in a puddle after Hurricane Idalia crossed the state on August 30, 2023 in Perry, Florida. The storm made landfall at Keaton Beach, Florida as a category 3 hurricane. (Sean Rayford)
![Storm Surge at Hurricane Idalia landfall]()
Image 2 of 8Keaton Beach, Florida floods under a storm surge as Hurricane Idalia comes ashore on Aug. 30, 2023. (Brian Emfinger / Live Storms Media)
![A screen shot of damages in Keaton Beach, Florida after Hurricane Idalia's landfall on Aug. 30, 2023. (Image: Brian Emfinger/LSM)]()
Image 3 of 8A screen shot of damages in Keaton Beach, Florida after Hurricane Idalia's landfall on Aug. 30, 2023. (Image: Brian Emfinger/LSM) ( )
![A screen shot of damages in Keaton Beach, Florida after Hurricane Idalia's landfall on Aug. 30, 2023.]()
Image 4 of 8A screen shot of damages in Keaton Beach, Florida after Hurricane Idalia's landfall on Aug. 30, 2023. (Image: Brian Emfinger/LSM) ( )
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Image 5 of 8An image showing mud and debris covering a road in Rancho Mirage (Nicole Valdes)
![Roads in Sanibel, Florida, were experiencing heavy flooding and debris coverage Wednesday morning.]()
Image 6 of 8Roads in Sanibel, Florida, were experiencing heavy flooding and debris coverage Wednesday morning. (Sanibel Fire Rescue District / Facebook)
![Hurricane Idalia]()
Image 7 of 8A flooded street is seen near the Steinhatchee marina, Florida on August 30, 2023, after Hurricane Idalia made landfall. (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP)
![An image showing powerful winds within the eyewall of Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday, August 30, 2023.]()
Image 8 of 8An image showing powerful winds within the eyewall of Hurricane Idalia on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. (Aaron Jayjack)
Florida's August heat and humidity will only add to the stench.
"It's been sitting here for 24 hours," Merwin said. "I can only imagine by the end of today, I mean, we're expecting a day in the upper 80s and all of that humidity is going to combine with all of this stuff."
- Weather News
